184 GARDEN PLANNING 



interest in luxuriant water growth and the 

 delightful blooms we get from such purely 

 aquatic plants as water-lilies and lotus. 



It may, however, be stated at the outset 

 that the making of a water garden is a simple 

 matter compared with its efficient maintenance. 

 No gardener should lightly embark upon the 

 task unless he is prepared to give unremitting 

 attention to his water plants and to their 

 artificial homes. This implies frequent chang- 

 ing of water and cleansing of ponds. 



In town and suburban gardens organic 

 matter, dead leaves, and other undesirable 

 things are wafted by the wind or fall upon the 

 water surface, where they remain to decay 

 and defile the water. 



When a running stream is available, these 

 drawbacks operate less prejudicially, though 

 they are not altogether absent. 



I shall first consider the case of a garden 

 bounded by a stream at its far end. We may 

 assume that the water is pure enough for our 

 purpose. The probability is that the gardener 

 would have no rights over the water, but also 

 that no objection would exist to his diverting 

 some of it through his garden. In such an 



